Young Adult Leadership Director

Headquarters: 1 Thomas Circle NW, #700, Washington, DC 20005Reports to: President & CEOTeam: Young AdultManager Position: This position manages 1 or more employees (e.g. Program Associate)Status: Full Time, Exempt

The Mission and VisionThe National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD) improves the lives of the 1 in 5 of us who struggle with brain-based learning and attention issues related to reading, math, writing, focus, organization and more. Our mission is to empower parents and young adults, transform schools and advocate for equal rights and opportunities for the 1 in 5. We’re working to create a society in which every individual possesses the academic, social and emotional skills needed to succeed in school, at work and in life.

The PositionNCLD is seeking a self-starter with experience in and passion for working with young adults (ages high school through 26 years) preferably, those with learning and attention issues. This person will oversee two existing elements of NCLD’s work: our Young Adult Leadership Council and our Scholarship Program. But, most importantly, we are looking for a creative, passionate, mission-driven individual who can help us enhance these programs and develop outstanding new programming that will help young adults with learning and attention issues cultivate leadership and advocacy skills. This is an area of our work that we are ready to grow and we are looking for someone with great ideas, lots of passion, a sense of fun, outstanding communication skills, and a commitment to our cause.

Specifically, we are looking for a person with the following attributes:

Strategic Mindset

Anticipates future trends and implications accurately to help support the future direction of the organization and team.

Develops and articulates new ideas for our target audience that will create sustainable value to NCLD.

Creates strategies that clearly connect vision and action

Manages Complexity

Acquires data from multiple and diverse sources when planning and solving problems.

Asks the right questions and organizes responses to accurately analyze situations.

Evaluates pros and cons, risks and benefits of different solution options.

Manages Ambiguity

Is calm and productive, even when things are up in the air.

Deals constructively with problems that do not have clear solutions or outcomes.

Action Oriented

Identifies and seizes new opportunities.

Steps up to handle tough issues.

Displays a can-do attitude in good and bad times.

Duties & Responsibilities

The duties of the position include but are not limited to the following:

Effectively Execute Existing Program Objectives

Manage projects from beginning to end by tracking, communicating and adapting as needed.

Operate and grow our existing Young Adult Leadership Council, including ongoing engagement with the members and building partnerships within the field.

Research and Actively Participate in the Field of Youth Development

Stay up to date on new practices and research in the field of youth development.

Quickly adopt new practices and understand how they can be applied in real world environments.

Synthesize best practices and create/implement scalable initiatives for youth with learning and attention issues.

Work with funders and the Board to communicate program objectives and needs:

Develop and pitch new ideas

Draft concept papers and funding proposals

Develop an understanding of organizations and individuals that are the key investors in the field and work with NCLD’s CEO to initiate and cultivate relationships with them

Manage and track grant outcomes and work with NCLD development personnel to report on outcomes to investors and others

Manage and Build an Effective Team

Build and manage a team with appropriate and diverse mix of work styles, perspectives and experience

Establish common objectives and shared mindset within the Young Adult team and across all NCLD areas of work

Create and nurture a sense of belonging and strong team morale

Conduct performance evaluations based on appropriate requirements for performance and growth

Manage Budgets

Work with the CEO to create an annual budget.

Create budgets for grant proposals

Manage and accurately track all spending and work to ensure budget is on track to achieve program objectives

Required Qualifications & Skill Sets

Must have:

5+ years of experience working in education or in youth development (note: strong preference for candidates with demonstrated success in developing new youth programs)

Bachelor’s degree

Passion and commitment to NCLD’s mission (prior knowledge of learning disabilities and attention issues is not required, but a willingness to learn is essential)

Should have:

Grant writing and fundraising experience

Well-developed public speaking skills

Strong communication skills (written and verbal) and the ability to connect meaningfully with different audiences (e.g., greater community and program participants)

Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and GSuite applications

Should be:

Experienced with and/or understand technology and social media tools

A committed team player, and able to work independently

Willing to work flexible hours as needed

Able to prioritize and engage in multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment

Culturally sensitive and able to establish and maintain rapport with individuals from diverse backgrounds

Detail-oriented while also being responsive to unexpected performance demands

Committed to teamwork, strong work ethic, and high standards for personal and professional excellence.

Please send a resume and cover letter to jobs@ncld.org with the subject line “Job Application: First Name Last Name, Young Adult Leadership Director”

The National Center for Learning Disabilities is an equal opportunity employer and considers all applications without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, national origin, age, disability, marital or veteran status, sexual orientation, or any other legally protected status.

For additional information on the organization, please visit NCLD’s website at www.ncld.org.